June 1999

This page copyright 1999 The Shrubbery
Webmaster: Jason Morrison

Sounds From the House

Three Short Album Reviews

Tortoise/The Ex In the Fisktank EP

This 6-track collaboration between Tortoise and The Ex released on
Konkurrent Records is the best post-TNT release by Tortoise and my first
introduction to The Ex. Tortoise is known for its meditative and deliberate
tracks, usually introspective instrumental tracks, enhanced with minimal
post-production work. The descriptions of The Ex characterize it as dynamic
and tension-building, so a collaboration between two diverse styles of
music-making excited me to say the least, especially since Tortoise reign as
the gods of post-rock.

"Tortex" does not disappoint.

The most shocking
element for me was the addition of The Ex's vocals, a rambling, rhyming
free-association mess which grew on me after repeated listens. Basically,
the
final product is a hard-sounding Tortoise with vocals. It starts out with
"The Lawn of the Limp" a very Tortoise-y song, augmented by stronger
percussives and the aforementioned vocals. The hardest track to stomach is
"Huge Hidden Spaces" which features low bass rumbles, like Kranky on crack,
and culminates in scracthy, screetchy, finger nails on chalkboard-type
noises. My cup of tea! This is a nice departure for Tortoise, but it is a
horizontal move. Its different and intersting, but I still prefer Tortoise's
own sound. Well worth the seven dollars I paid for it on vinyl (the only way
to listen to it BTW), but I hope that Tortoise continues on its own
developmental past.

Pole CD2

Pole is Stefan Betke, who masters most of the Chain Reaction/Basic
Channel's releases and his music definitely takes a cue from their minimal
house sound, but instead of boom-tsss-boom-tsss, Pole takes the crackle-pop-
crackle-pop approach. All sound sourcing for Pole is from a defective 4-Pole
Waldorf Filter Stefan received from a friend, hence the name. Sequencing and
shaping the Waldorf's glitched output, Pole creates minimal techno sounds,
influenced by dub in an abstract way. CD2 is only six songs, making
it more
of an EP than an LP, which actually works to its advantage. Pole's first
release, CD1 was interesting and fresh but it went on too long for
me. I like
my minimal music in minimal doses and CD2 does just that. The dub
is more
prevalent and a little more complex. Although in the end I really don't see
how much longer Betke can continue with this line of music, it is fresh and
interesting but gets boring with repeated listens.

DJ Qbert is the Christ Almighty of the DJ scratching world, leader of
the Invisbl Skratch Piklz, and generally acknowledged to be the best
turntablist alive. That is why Wave Twisters was such a
disappointment for me.

It is definitely enjoyable and there are some utterly sickening displays
of skill, but I want more for a full release. The record, a "concept album"
about teeth fighing in protons or something, is bogged down by long intros.
Highlights include the previoiusly released "Invasion of the Octopus People"
found originally on Bomb Hip-Hop's Return of the DJ Volume II
compliation,
displaying the talents of the whole ISP crew. The album definitely is a
must-have for any turntablist enthuisiast, but I prefer the DJ Disk album
much more, it is more innovative, fuller, and progressive. DJ Qbert might be
the king of the turntablists, but this album doesn't adequately display his
talents.